


Shadows and Weirdos

by Jungle321jungle



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Crossover, Shadow Travel (Percy Jackson)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2019-07-23 12:06:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16158647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jungle321jungle/pseuds/Jungle321jungle
Summary: Nico has yet another shadow traveling mishap, and it lands him on the Avengers' doorstep. Oops?He should really start listening to Will.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Pre-Civil War

**One**

  
He had seen too much.   
  
He hadn't meant to, he hadn't even meant to be there in the first place, but apparently shadow traveling- even though Will had forbade it- had its consequences.    
  
Nico wasn't exactly sure where he was, or how exactly he got there, but either way he found himself standing in the shadow of some trees. The sun shone brightly indicating it was still day and that he could most places in the world, great. Curses ran through Nico's mind as he looked out into a field and spied through the edge of the trees to see a large white building, it looked sort of fancy and Nico assumed he had been spit out on to some rich person's property.    
  
The sound of voices came closer, and Nico shrunk back into the trees wishing he had some unicorn draught to deal with the throbbing in his skull and the dizziness.    
  
"It's not possible Tony."   
  
"With everything you've seen can you say it's not?"   
  
Two people came into view and Nico was certainly surprised by their appearance. The first was a man wearing a suit of red and gold armor, his entire body covered besides his face. The second was another man who had metal wings on his back.    
  
While Nico didn't personally keep up with the news as he found it annoying and depressing, but he had heard about the infamous Avengers from the other campers and learned bits about each even if he hadn't wanted to. And judging by the metal wings and metal suit, these two were Iron Man, and Falcon. He already knew he had seen too much, he needed to get out of here.    
  
Nico glanced back at a large patch of shadow, considering running back to it and hoping he'd end up somewhere else, but the way the shadows nearly seemed like a fog which was  licking at his feet trying to pull him in and turn him into a shadow too. The very thought made the dizziness increase and he swayed. He reached out and grabbed a tree as he felt himself losing consciousness. The small movement seemed to draw the attention of the two Avengers.    
  
A high pitched sound reached Nico's ears and a voice called with it.    
  
"Come out now or I'll shoot."   
  
Nico swallowed and forced himself to stand up straight deciding whatever the two would do to him would be better than becoming a shadow. He took a shaky step forward then another, until he stood in the field a few feet from the two men who looked on high alert.    
  
"How'd you get in here?" Falcon demanded.    
  
Nico opened his mouth and his words slurred, "I'd tell you if I knew."   
  
Both glanced at each other and that was the last thing Nico remembered.    
  
~~~~   
  
Nico woke up on a couch.   
  
An unfamiliar couch.    
  
He slowly sat up and surveyed the room he was in- and the people sitting in it. As the infamous Avengers stared him down, Nico suddenly wished he had jumped into that shadow. He opened and closed his mouth unsure of what to say or do.    
  
"How are you feeling?"   
  
Nico's attention turned to the speaker, the bright blue suit gave away that he was Captain America. When the man shifted in his chair slightly Nico realized he hadn't answered so he just said, "Okay."   
  
The man nodded once and his eyes flickered to the others around them, "How'd you get here son?"   
  
"I'm not sure," Nico answered quickly- too quickly he chided himself.    
  
None of them looked convinced, but at least it wasn't a total lie. Nico had stepped into a shadow hoping to just go across a room to test out how his powers were doing, he hadn't intended to end up here.    
  
"According to security camera's you popped out of nowhere," another man said. Nico frowned both at his statement and trying to place who he was.    
  
"They kinda looked like you walked out a shadow," another put in, and as Nico had seen Falcon before it was easy to say that was him.  "How does that make sense?"   
  
Nico gave an unconvincing shrug, "Last time things made sense I was in my room looking for a sweatshirt."   
  
"I doubt that," the man Nico didn't know said. He must've hit a button or something because a holographic screen popped up in front of Nico. Depicting a video of Nico walking out of a shadow,    
  
__ "Godsdamnit not again."   
  
Nico silently cursed himself, Of course there was audio.    
  
The video Nico looked around a bit before he moved closer to the tree line, but the screen vanished before it could show the two Avengers show up.    
  
"What were you trying to do?"   
  
This came from the red headed woman who sat across the room nursing a mug of something, she must be Black Widow.    
  
"Just tell us the truth," Captain America told him. "If you do, we can clear everything up and send you home."   
  
Nico began to twist at his skull ring nervously, as he thought. He couldn't tell them the whole truth that much was obvious (he was also lucky the Asgardian wasn't here, that would have been a mess), and even if he told them a lie he would most likely be watched by them afterward which would be a horrible as well.   
  
"It's okay," Captain America tried.    
  
Nico's mind raced with lies before he finally settled on one, "I don't know why I can do this but I can." He started slowly. "I-I can transport myself through shadows, and sometime I have a bit of uh... trouble with it. Sometimes I can't always control where I go- I ended up in China once- but today I accidentally ended up here rather than across my room. And it takes a lot out of me so I passed out."   
  
"Can you show us?" Falcon asked him.    
  
"He just said he faints and ends up in random places," a young woman with long brown hair and European accent interjected, Scarlet Witch he assumed. "He shouldn't."   
  
"I agree, though it is curious," the man beside her said- well man was one way to put it. His skin looked bright red and metallic, and there was something glowing in his head?    
  
Nico tore his eyes away from the man trying to stay focused on the conversation. He briefly considered using this as an opportunity to shadow travel home, but without any ambrosia or unicorn draught he doubted he would survive the journey. "It's not the best of ideas for me to," Nico admitted. "I've been having more issues than usual. It seems there are worse side effects than fainting."   
  
"Like what?" Captain America asked him.    
  
"Well uh, according to my friends sometimes I become intangible and start to become a shadow myself. And they think I will turn into a shadow forever if I keep using this power..." Nico watched their faces looking for a sign that they were believing his words, but their faces were masks.    
  
"I wanna run tests on him," the unknown man declared and Nico felt his heart drop.    
  
"You can't just run tests on him, Tony," Captain America disagreed.    
  
"Calm down Capsicle," the man- Tony (Stark?- Iron Man? Nico silently cursed himself not recognizing the most public one of the group) I just wanna figure out if I can see what gives him in the power and then maybe I can keep him from turning into a shadow, come on I was bored anyway."   
  
Captain America rolled his eyes at Tony before he looked to Nico, "What's your name kid?"   
  
"Nico di Angelo," Nico answered before he internally kicked himself for not giving them a false name.    
  
"Steve," Captain America nodded. "That's Natasha, Wanda, Tony, Sam, and Vision. So why don't you tell us where you live so we can talk to you parents?"   
  
"Well uh... my family is dead," Nico told them but to add some credibility to his story he quickly added, "So I kinda moved in with a friend..."   
  
~~~~   
  
Nico was more than relieved.    
  
He had a feeling he'd be looked up and unsurprisingly he wouldn't exist, but thankfully Sally Jackson went along with everything they threw at her.     
  
She answered questions with ease and even Percy had tossed in some details like short funny stories about times he and Nico had shared. Either way it seemed the Jackson's were lying to the government like they were professionals.   
  
"Is there anything else you need from me?" Sally asked politely. "I can certainly provide you the name and number of Nico's social worker if you like. I called him on our way here, so he shouldn't be horribly far now... I do hope Mr. Brunner answers."   
  
Nico blinked at the name trying to recall before he recalled Percy mentioning it had been Chiron's alias in the past. Nico was partially relieved, and also worried that he would lose his dessert privileges for over a month.    
  
It was then that Sally was led off by an agent so she could make the call leaving Percy and Nico alone with the Avengers.    
  
"So... what do you think of what Nico can do Perseus?" Tony Stark asked to break the ice.    
  
"Percy," Percy corrected before he gave a Nico a frown. "I think he should be trying to avoid turning into a shadow."   
  
Nico crossed his arms, but didn't reply.    
  
"You know what I meant kid, come on give me something."   
  
"You already got a sample of the kid's DNA what more do you want?"   
  
"What?" Nico asked him confused. _When had that happened?_ __   
  
"Shit," Sam said as Tony glared at him.    
  
"You were unknown and unconscious on the premises," Tony explained. "I took DNA to see if I could identify you."   
  
"Tony," Captain America warned.    
  
"Ah yes because probing minors is _totally_ legal," Percy nodded before Tony could reply.    
  
"He was an intruder," the man defended.    
  
"But he's still a child," Captain America frowned.    
  
"It's fine," Nico told him.    
  
"See it's fine," Tony nodded. "Isn't not like I went through his pockets for change."   
  
"I'm pretty sure taking blood is more invasive than stealing coins," Percy stated.    
  
"It's fine Percy," Nico assured him, he didn't want to give the group more reasons to keep him there longer than he already had.    
  
Percy visibly relaxed, but he didn't seem happy about it.    
  
"Did your family have any abilities?" Wanda asked curiously.    
  
Nico shook his head, "Just as normal as everyone else... So it's just me."   
  
"Sorry," she apologized, "I just can't help wonder where your ability care from."   
  
Nico only gave her a simple shrug in reply.    
  
"Do you know anyone else who has them?" Tony Stark questioned.    
  
"Just me," Nico told him. "I don't know how or why, but I can."   
  
"But you shouldn't," Percy put in.    
  
Nico gave a forced sigh, "But I shouldn't."   
  
It was clear more questions were to be asked, but it was then Sally was lead back in the room announcing that Mr. Brunner was indeed close, his assistant Mr. Dion in tow.    
  
The conversation had shifted to the woman at the announcement, and honestly that was just fine with Nico. And honestly he let the topics blur together- until Chiron and Mr. D arrived.    
  
The first thing Nico realized was Mr. D's appearance. The usual bloodshot eyes were gone as was the wild Hawaiian shirts and the bright purple shoes. Rather he looked like- like a normal human being, dressed in casual business clothes. Nico found it kind of wrong looking to be honest.    
  
But then again what was this day if not strange?   
  
"I am very sorry about this," Chiron was saying. "It seems Mr. Di Angelo was not all that forthcoming about the issues with uh his-"   
  
"Nicky has always been a bit special," Mr. D interjected and Nico frowned at the name. "So we are thankful for you entertaining this different situation."   
  
Chiron nodded and waved his hand as he spoke as if doing so in conversation, but Nico could see the effect that the Mist had had. "Well not that you have gotten all the information out of us we will be going. You have no need to worry about it, it will all be handled."   
  
"Of course," Captain America nodded. "I wish you all luck. And I don't go turning into shadows anytime soon son."   
  
Nico nodded shortly as he stood, "I'll try not to."   
  
~~~~   
  
"I do not understand."   
  
"Understand what?" Wanda asked him.    
  
Vision looked the way their guests had left before he spoke, "Why you suddenly just let them go. It seemed none of you were willing to until a moment ago when the man in wheelchair waved his hand."   
  
Tony frowned to himself, "What are you talking? F.R.I.D.A.Y. play the footage."   
  
The TV clicked on suddenly and on the screen the scene which had played out moments before- and sure enough the moment the wheelchair bound man had waved his hand you could see the demeanor of everyone change.    
  
"Show the footage of them driving off," Steve stated and the footage switched to the group pulling in cars which drove out of the compound. "And on the cameras leading up the compound?"    
  
"There is no footage."   
  
"No footage?"   
  
"I'm sorry boss," the AI replied. "Somewhere in the 5 meter gap between the two cameras the car vanished. But I've already run the license plate."   
  
"And?"   
  
"It's registered to a van for Delphi's Strawberry Service."   
  
"Well that car is definitely not a strawberry van," Natasha commented.   
  
"It's a company located on the Long Island Sound, 3.141 Farm Road."   
  
"Why would a social worker steal tags from strawberry van? Unless of course they aren't social workers," Sam put in. "But weren't there checks on everyone?"   
  
"While files were made for everyone," F.R.I.D.A.Y. started in reply, "I cannot find anything on any of today's visitors except for Mrs. Jackson and a note she has a son."   
  
"Maybe it's time we check out Delphi's," Steve stated. "Covertly, same with the Jackson's... I'll head to the Jackson's with Tony, and we'll call in Rhodes. Wanda, Nat, Vision, and Sam head to the Delphi. Stay alert, we don't know what they've got there. Also Tony keep trying to find anything you can on these people."   
  
Tony nodded without looking up from his phone, "Already doing it."   
  
Steve nodded once as he stood, "Then let's go." 


	2. Two

**Two**

  


_“We found the place, but we got a issue,”_ Nat’s voice stated. _“There’s some sort of barrier, it seems only Vision can get through. He went on ahead, and Sam is trying to check it out from above.”_

 

“Stay vigilant,” Steve told them. “We don’t know what we’re walking in to.”

 

“ _How are things going on your end?”_

 

“Sally Jackson and her husband seem to be going about daily life,” Steve responded looking out the window toward the building where he knew the family was. “But we haven’t seen the boys at all.”

 

Steve looked over to Tony, “You get anything yet?”

 

“I got a lot more or nothing than anything,” the man admitted. “I've got nothing on either of the social workers. But I _did_ find that Chiron Brunner was also the name of a wheelchair bound teacher who taught Perseus Jackson in sixth grade.”

 

Steve frowned, “Anything else about Perseus Jackson?”

 

“That’s the interesting part so I’ll save it for last, I found a _single_ record of a Nico di Angelo that could match. It’s for a kid who years ago attended a military school, Westover Hall in Maine. He was there with his older sister Bianca, until they suddenly dropped off the face of the earth until now. It doesn’t seem like anyone even looked for them.”

 

“And Perseus?” Steve asked turning to look as Tony brought up screens around them.

 

“Well something else happens back when the kid was in the sixth grade- or well the summer after,” Tony started before he brought up an old new clip which started to play void of sound. “He was kidnapped, along with that girl there- Annabeth Chase, and that boy Grover Underwood. They ended up fighting off their kidnapper in California before they were returned to New York. _But_ , Grover Underwood doesn’t exist. Annabeth Chase does but there’s not a lot on her. She just seemed to pop up a few years ago. And one more thing of interest happened that same summer. Sally Jackson came into a large sum of money where she sold a statue. One _very_ much in the likeness of her abusive ex-husband, who also vanished at that time frame.”

 

Steve frowned, “Are you saying the woman turned her husband into a statue and _sold_ him?”

 

“We just met a kid who can walk through shadows, and we have a living machine on the team, Steve. Keep up with the times.... Also it is to be noted Sally Jackson was never noted as a sculptor before or after that piece.”

 

“Alright so we have a boy who can travel through shadows, and a woman who can turn people to stone?”

 

 _“I didn’t realize we were going against Medusa,”_ Nat commented over the com.

 

 _“It’s a summer camp,”_ Sam’s shocked voice came in over the coms.

 

_“A summer camp?”_

 

_“I can see a lot cabins a spot for campfires and kids canoeing. I don’t think I can get much closer without being spotted by some of the kids though.”_

 

“But are there strawberries?” Tony asked.

 

_“Yes Tony, I see some strawberry fields so I guess that much is true... Vision you got anything?”_

 

_“I suppose,” came Vision’s reply._

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tony asked.

 

_“Well it seems I’ve been spotted.”_

 

_~~~~_

 

Vision did his best to smile as he stared down at the small child before him. He assumed she was around 8 years old and dressed in a shirt reading Camp Half-Blood which matched what Sam had reported.

 

The little girl meanwhile stared back with wide eyes and an opened mouth.

 

“It’s going to be-” His words were cut off suddenly by the girl’s sudden shout- 

 

“Monster in the borders!”

 

“I’m not a monster,” he tried but the little girl didn’t really seem to care as she pulled out a  _dagger?_ “Please just-”

 

Vision was suddenly aware of the of the arrow flying straight toward him. He adjusted his density to let it fly straight through him before another followed suit.

 

“Surround it!”

 

Arrows came from all sides and Vision was stuck in the middle. He decided to fly up through the trees to block their shot and touched down just past the tree line. He barely had a moment to pause when he nearly dodged a spear crackling with electricity was jabbed at him. It’s wielder was a tall and muscular girl who stared him down with dark eyes.

 

“Kill it sis!” The little girl cheered from behind her.

 

“I do not want to harm you all,” Vision told them loudly as he let a few more arrows- and the spear pass.

 

“Stop!”

 

This shout came loudly from another kid who ran forward, and the volley of arrows ceased, but the girl with the spear did not.

 

“Stop!” The girl shouted again. “Clarisse! Stop godsdamnit! He’s one of the Avengers!”

 

The girl stopped her attack, but she was still on high alert.

 

“You’re Vision right?” The other girl asked him looking up at him. She had dark skin and hair, and was covered in bandaids. “The AI guy who was brought to life?”

 

“I am,” Vision nodded.

 

“I don’t care who he is!” The girl shouted ready to charge again but this time she was held back by multiple people.

 

_“So much for covert,” Sam muttered._

 

~~~~

 

“We’ve lost contact with Vision,” Natasha stated annoyed reaching out to touch the invisible barrier once more.

 

_“Sam can you see anything? ... Sam?”_

 

 _“Sorry,”_ he apologized quickly. _“I got caught up in watching the kids fight one another... They have weapons.”_

 

Natasha frowned, “What kind of weapons would kids have?”

 

_“From this angle it looks like spears and swords. And then less interesting I can see horses, an archery range, and-and they are really fighting with swords. What kind of camp is this?”_

 

“Clearly not a camp,” Natasha pointed out stepping back and looking up to the trees around her. “And it’s not a strawberry place either.” She placed a hand on the barrier and ran her hand across it as she walked scanning around her, but of the corner of her eye she was aware of Wanda shooting a bit of magic at the barrier to no avail.  

 

She continued on gently touching the barrier in front of her searching for any weak points as she walked. There had to be a way in, Vision could shift through it but how had all the children Sam had seen entered?

 

She continued on eyes scanning the area for anything of interest, but nothing other than her or Wanda walking behind her seemed out of place.

 

It wasn’t long until a large tree caught her gaze, it was, pine and larger than any other tree around, and she could almost see the glint of sunlight on the curve of the barrier which went straight through the trees harmlessly. As if the tree was the origin.

 

She picked up the pace a bit moving closer and closer to it when she heard a low sound almost like a growl. She froze and her hand went to the gun at her hip, but she couldn’t draw fast enough because the wolf was already on top of her.

 

She fell back painfully as the giant wolf bared its teeth and snapped at her neck, but she just managed to move her face enough away. She reached for her gun once more when a blast of red light hit the wolf in the face and it tumbled to the side and Natasha scrambled up as she did shooting it but the bullets seemed to just bounce off.

 

“What the hell is that?” Wanda asked from behind her.

 

“A bullet proof wolf apparently,” Natasha stated shooting and aiming for its eye to no avail.

 

“Wolf?” Wanda repeated. “What kind of wolf has a snake head?” She shouted blasting her magic at the wolf to keep it from advancing.

 

“We’ve got a wolf or something over here,” she informed the others. “It’s bulletproof.”

 

 _“Of course it is,”_ Stark’s voice came in. _“Mind skinning it for me?”_

 

“Peleus!”

 

The shout came from beside tree and Natasha hurriedly trained her gun on the speaker- who wasn’t there. Invisibility? Or was the speaker behind the barrier the wolf had appeared from?

 

The wolf growled lowly, but it slowly retreated before walking back the barrier and vanishing behind it.

 

“I’m sorry about him,” the voice came again, young and female. “Would you mind putting your gun away? He’s not going to relax until you do, and then I can’t let you in.”

 

Natasha glanced at Wanda who had lowered her hands, before she lowered and put away her gun. “Who are you?”

 

The was a short pause before the air seemed to shimmer and teenage girl with blond hair and gray eyes became visible. She gave them a small tight lipped smile and hung a blue baseball cap off of her shorts besides what looked like a small bat. “My name is Annabeth Chase. And may I ask why the Avengers are not only breaking and entering, but here at _all_?”

 

“I want to speak to whomever is in charge.”

 

“I’m right here.”

 

“You’re in charge of this place?”

 

“What is that creature?” Wanda interrupted and the girl’s eyes turned to her surprised.

 

“You could see him?”

 

“What is it?”

 

Annabeth have a sigh, “Come on in then, that already makes things more complicated.” With her comment made she took a step through the barrier vanishing from sight. Natasha paused and after giving a quick update over the coms, she followed suit.

 

On the other side of the barrier was not the long forest which the other side showed. Rather it was a jumble of hills and buildings, to form exactly what Sam had said. A summer camp.

 

“I need you to leave your radios outside,”Annabeth told them.

 

“Why?”

 

She nodded toward where the giant wolf circled the tree protectively glaring in their direction, “Electronics basically summon them.”

 

Wanda had tossed her outside the barrier in an instant, Natasha didn’t have much choice, but to follow suit and take out the one in her ear and toss it outside. The girl led them toward a large farmhouse and its porch was circled by a crowd children ranging in ages, but on the porch it was clear to see Vision tied in ropes.

 

He gave Natasha a nod as they came close and the children parted and excitedly chattered as she was led up to the porch.

 

“Alright that’s enough,” Annabeth called over the crowd. “Back to your activities! Counselors can stay!”

 

The was a collective groan from the crowd which began to shuffle off leaving only a number of teenagers behind, two of which she recognized. Perseus Jackson was glaring at her like she killed everything fun in the world, and beside him Nico di Angelo stared at the ground as if he wanted to disappear.

 

“I assume the rest of you are somewhere around the barrier?” Annabeth guessed untying the ropes (which Vision could have easily escaped anytime).

 

“Why are you here?” A girl who remained asked. She was certainly built with a bandana to hold back her stringy hair as she turned over a broom in her hand. “I doubt Prissy and Idiot here are interesting enough to follow home.”

 

“Leave them alone Clarisse,” a blonde boy sighed. “What’s done is done. We just need to wait for Chiron to get back.”

 

“What are you made of?” A short Latino boy asked excitedly. He was covered in grease and grime, but it didn’t seem to bother him as he came close to Vision walking around him in circles poking him here and there. “You’re sentient right? Like you have your own thoughts? How did they make you? The media is hush hush and I can’t even regularly access it.”

 

“Leave the guy be,” a girl with eyes which seemed to change color, sighed grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him back.

 

“Is Iron Man here too?” The boy questioned. “I would love a chance to look at his armor. Do you think he’d let me see the reactor?”

 

“Shut up Leo!”

 

“Come on Pipes! How often do we get to meet the Avengers?”

 

“We shouldn’t have met them in the first place,” Clarisse stated.

 

“I don’t know how many times you want me to say sorry,” Nico sighed. “I can’t control it.”

 

“And that’s why you shouldn’t have been doing it in the first place,” the blonde boy muttered.

 

“What’s your magic like?” Another girl asked Wanda as the “Counselors” dissolved into side conversations.

 

_“Shut up!”_

 

The sudden shout came from Perseus who shook his head and pointed back to Annabeth.

 

“Thank you,” she nodded. “Look,” she started. “Is this cool? Yes. But I think you are all forgetting the _danger_ associated with this. Percy go IM Chiron and tell him to hurry back. I need half of you here, and the other half I need you guys to oversee everyone else. We have three Avengers here and there’s more out there who don’t have proper explanations as to where their teammates went so things are going to only get more complicated. Understood?”

 

There was a chorus of responses and the teenagers split dividing themselves into groups so only a few remained.

 

Annabeth nodded pleased. “Shall we go inside and properly introduce ourselves?”

 

~~~~

 

_“-Leo Valdez I’m the head of Cabin Nine. And as I was the last one to introduce myself, now can you tell me what you’re made of- Ow fine! Fine! Welcome to Camp Half-Blood!”_

 

 _“What is this place?”_ Wanda’s voice asked.

 

There was a short pause before someone spoke, _“I lied to you before,”_ Nico di Angelo started slowly. _“I’m not the only person I know who is uh-_ special. _Everyone in this camp is. But it’s dangerous for us outside, so we stay here and hide from the world.”_

 

“Things just get stranger and stranger,” Steve said shaking his head as he drove.

 

 _“We still don’t know the whole truth,”_ Sam came in. _“Considering they didn’t want radios in there and Natasha_ _had to switch to this there’s a whole lot more we don’t understand.”_

 

“My suit is already scanning the barrier,” Tony put in. “Drive a bit faster and we get answers faster.”

 

“I can’t control traffic Tony,” Steve put in.

 

“You don’t have to follow the speed limit though.”

 

“Yes I do.”

 

“Our team is being held hostage.”

 

“By teenagers who- if you were actually listening- are offering them cookies.”

 

“We don’t know what’s in those cookies.”

 

“Shut up Stark... Have you gotten through to Rhodes yet?”

 

“No, but I got through to Clint.”

 

“When?” Steve asked him surprised.

 

_“A while ago,” Clint sighed. “I’ve heard most of the insanity so I think I’m caught up, and I’m almost there.”_

 

“So that retirement is going great then?” Tony asked him.

 

_“Couldn’t be better.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know this isnt the kind of thing where everyone joins together to defeat a big ancient baddie or something. There will be a fight of course, but its more just Avengers trying to process that children do this, and the demigods still trying to readjust after their second war (no trials of apollo stuff though).


	3. Three

**Three**

 

“So what exactly are all of your abilities?” Natasha questioned. 

 

“It’s varies,” one of the kids answered, she recalled his name was Will. “But everyone here is uh-  _ special _ in some way. Me in particular I’m pretty good with medicine. It’s not that flashy as fire or shadows... Or some of my siblings who can shoot with perfect accuracy.”

 

“We’d all be dead without you,” Nico told him. 

 

“Very true,” added another- Leo. “I mean how many times have you stitched Paolo’s arms back on?”

 

The first boy gave a sigh, “They shouldn’t come off at all.”

 

“I’m sorry?”  Vision’s voice cut in. “His arms come off?”

 

“He got hurt during a game no big deal,” Leo said dismissively. “When are the rest of the Avengers getting here?”

 

“I’m not sure,” Natasha answered. 

 

“Is there something in particular you want from us?” Perseus asked her. “What do you want now that you know we’re here?”

 

“I don’t plan on doing anything personally,” she answered. “Things just didn’t add up when you left the compound so we decided to check it out. But if we find evidence that things are okay then we have no reason to be here.”

 

“Please bare with us,” Vision added. “And perhaps I might be able to tell you more about my birth?”

 

“Please!” Leo cheered. 

 

“No,” Clarisse interrupted. “They’re leaving after this Valdez.”

 

“Well technically that’s Chiron’s call not yours,” Piper pointed out. “But I do think it’s best if we split ways.”

 

“Annabeth!” The shout drew the attention of everyone to the door were a blonde kid stood breathing heavily. “We caught the one with the wings! But Iron Man flew off and we missed him!”

 

“You caught Falcon?” Wanda asked in surprise.

 

The kid walked into the room dragging Sam with them who was tied up is some kind of chain. 

 

“Not a word of this to Stark,” was all Sam said. 

 

“Let him go,” Annabeth advised and the kid did so before leaving the room. 

 

“Welcome to party,” Wanda told him gesturing to an empty seat at the table. Natasha watched as he bit back a response and took a seat beside Wanda- and she watched as all the children watched him do so carefully. 

 

“Where’s everyone else?” Natasha asked Sam. 

 

Sam’s eyes flickered to the kid but at Natasha’s slight nod he spoke, “Cap and Iron Man are almost here. No word from War Machine, but Hawkeye is somewhere.”

 

“You guys speak like we don’t know who’s codename is whos,” this came from a boy who was a bit tall with messy hair and blue eyes. Connor she believed, she had seen him stand next to a nearly identical boy before. “We live in a magic camp. Not under a rock.”

 

“He’s headed back,” Perseus announced entering the room. He walked towards the table and paused looking at Sam for a moment before he chose to stand. “Mr. D is talking to figure other things out, but Chiron suggests we meet on neutral ground to talk. Somewhere  _ outside _ of camp? Or if that’s not possible at least not in the heart of it?”

 

“We could head to Bunker Nine,” Leo suggested. “It’s further off and none of the other campers go there anyway. And we don’t need to worry about mortals everywhere.”

 

_ Mortals? _

 

“That could work,” Piper nodded. “You don’t have anything crazy in there though?”

 

“Of course not!”

 

~~~~

 

“See this is what I meant when I said crazy!”

 

“It’s not crazy!”

 

“You have giant blades everywhere!”

 

“They’re upgrades for Festus!”

 

Natasha watched as the two bickered back and forth as she took in the bunker. It was huge- big enough to hold a plane- with various tools, designs, weapons, and metal covering the entire place. Random and half finished projects were spread out covering most surfaces and some of the floor. As they walked in the children didn’t seem bothered by any of it and they casually moved things aside and dragged chairs to the center for everyone to sit. 

 

“Well this place is something.”

 

Natasha turned at the sound of Tony’s voice. Steve and Clint were with Tony- who Natasha noticed did not have his suit- and they were led in by another camper who joined the group to sit. 

 

“So now what?” Tony asked. “Do we sing campfire songs?”

 

None of the children seemed to appreciate his humor. 

 

“Chiron should be here soon,” Perseus answered. 

 

“Is he the one in charge?” Steve asked. 

 

The kids nodded and gave a chorus of answers to say he was. A few also mentioned a “Mr. D” though. 

 

“Thor isn’t coming is he?” Annabeth asked with a slight frown. 

 

Steve shook his head, “He’s on Asgard.”

 

For some reason those words seemed to cause many of the children to relax. 

 

“So what can all of you do?” Clint asked curiously. “I heard we’ve got a shadow-walker anything else? Maybe a bit of a talent show will make the wait go by?”

 

The children looked at each other for a few moments before Clarisse stood. “This isn’t a power or anything but...” she pulled out a spear which began to crackle with electricity, “Meet Maimer.”

 

Wanda gave a forced smile, “What a- a lovely name.”

 

Another girl stood as the first sat, “I’m Piper,” she announced looking around. “But I just wanted to say I don’t think we should tell anyone what we should do. So  _ don’t ask.”  _

 

Natasha felt the girl’s words sink over her. Something wasn’t right, she shouldn’t want to avoid all questions- yet even so she found herself unable to voice a question about it. When glancing at the rest of the team they seemed to be fighting or falling into the girl’s words as well. She wouldn’t fall. 

 

“What should we do instead then?” Natasha asked. She was semi surprised that she has been able to ask a question, perhaps the girl’s words had clouded her judgment over context and not over all.

 

“Tell us about you guys!” Connor- no Connor was next to him- this must be the brother. 

 

“Yes!” Connor agreed. “Tells us everything!”

 

“As much as I like to talk about myself isn’t that a bit unfair?” Tony asked. “We know nothing about you.”

 

“You’ll find out when Chiron gets here.”

 

“And when will that-”

 

His words were interrupted by a sharp screech which echoed throughout the building. The children were on their feet in an instant. 

 

Perseus took the lead to the stairs a baseball bat- where had he gotten that?- in hand. “Wait here,” he said looking to Natasha and the rest. 

The children left quickly, and the moment they did the team went after them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lowkey forgot about this fic. The chapter is short but I felt I should put something up and then maybe I could get motivation to write more of it. We'll see.


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